Page 33 of The Fractured

Almost every surface had a plant on it. From the shelf above her headboard to the dresser by the door. Evidence of all herhobbies decorated the room too. There was a crocheted blanket on a chair, macrame plant hangers on the window, colorful origami swans on her nightstand, and a giant collection of photographs on her wall.

Everything about her room was cozy and bright.

The radiator was under the window. She turned the dial on the side, and the heat came quickly. We huddled in front of it with an inch of space between us.

I stole a glance at her, and she instantly redirected her gaze off my wet T-shirt and back down to the radiator, holding out her palms to it to get warm. She had checked me out and was now looking like she was trying to find the right words to say.

I cleared my throat. That line of friendship was beginning to look blurry with every passing second. “Should we take off our shirts?”

“You know, I was just thinking that.” She swallowed hard, furrowing her brow. “We’d dry much faster.”

I nodded once. “Exactly what I was thinking.”

“Yup.”

“Great.”

“Awesome.”

I huffed a laugh, hesitated for a second, and then peeled my shirt off and plopped it on the floor before looking back at her.

She had the hem of her shirt in her hands but had paused to watch me take off mine, and now her eyes were subtly wide as they skimmed over my chest and stomach.

“Sorry,” she stammered and blinked before looking away, “I’ve never seen so much muscle this close.”

My lips twitched with a smile. “Did jerk face ever workout?”

A subtle crease appeared between her eyebrows, but it wasn’t for the mention of Aiden. She was trying to form a more casual expression without looking at me again. “Um, no. No, he didn’t… I’m going to take my shirt off now.”

I nodded once, smiling. “Okay.”

She hastily tugged the damp fabric off, revealing a deep red bralette that complemented her brown eyes. While I wanted to admire the way the lace hugged her skin, I couldn’t help but notice the blaring signs of the past written all over her.

My eyes tracked to the faint yellow marks on her arms and stomach from Aiden.

“Do they still hurt?” I asked.

She shook her head, inhaling shakily while a pink blush crept to her face. “Not anymore.”

Our bodies faced the window, but I couldn’t stop admiring her from the corner of my eye.

She couldn’t stop looking either.

I leaned sideways, brushing my arm against hers as I whispered, “Now what?”

Kira chewed her bottom lip as her eyes darted across every detail of my face.

And then she kissed me.

My eyebrows shot up, but I didn’t resist, allowing my eyes to fall shut. She tasted like rainwater and bubble tea as she let me in immediately, tilting her head while I gently took her hips and pulled her closer. Skin to skin.

I was melting and hard all at once. Our friendship was tumbling over the edge, bringing with it every reserved thought. My head was quickly filling with her. The way she tasted and felt. She smelled like magnolia and sweetened lemon, and I needed more.

She suddenly pulled away to take a breath, and I let go of her hips.

It took me a second to open my eyes again.

Her eyes were wide. “I shouldn’t have done that. You already said we shouldn’t—”